Cordage-machine.



PATENTED NOV. 24,1903.

J. P. TOLMAN. CORDAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13.1903.

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No.'744,987. PATENTED NOV. 24, 190.3;

J. P. TOLMANV. GORDAGE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18.1903.

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PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. P. TOLMAN, GORDAGE MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18,1903.

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tlNiTnn States Patented November 24, 1903.

JAMES P. TOLMAN, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORDAGE Ii/IACHINE.

fillEOIFKOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,987, dated November 24,1908. Application filed June 18,1903. SerialNo.161,997. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. TOLMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cordage-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,forminga partofthis specification, in explaining its nature.

My invention relates to that class of cordage-machines in which the strands-forming the cord or web are united by an interlocking twist, with the spools, cops, or such like hearing the strands mounted upon or carried by travelers which have an intermittent motion, the method and principle of their operation being substantially like as shown in my Let'- ters Patent of the United States No. 340,835, of April 27, 1886. By reason of the manner in which the travelers are mounted, their extremely-circuitous course, and great rapidity of movement, together with the fact that the travelers carry heavy bodies of strand material which pulls with inward strain upon the carriers as it is being formed into the cord or web, necessitates that the travelers be guided so as to be held to run true without cramping, with a rigidity, as it were, which resists any tendency on the part of the travelers to displacement or looseness or unsteadiness in their positions.

My invention accordingly consists in a new way of supporting and guiding the travelers, whereby they will be supported and guided to run more true or rigid than in otherframes, with the resultant economic advantage that the travelers may be run with increased rapidity without undue wear or vibration and may carry heavier bodies of strand material and may also be operated with increased stress upon the strands as they are being formed into the cord or web.

My invention further relates to various novel features of construction, to which reference will hereinafter be made.

In the drawings I have shown such portions only of the cordage-machine as contain the essential features of my invention.

Figure l is a plan of the operative portions of my improved machine, showing especially the new auxiliary traveler-support and the relative position of the travelers by their disk like heads. Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross-section through the center of the machine. Fig. 3 is a partial plan with the travelers and one of the carrier-heads removed and the portions of the upper plates cut away, so as to show the track and gear of the main table. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show details of atraveler. Fig. 7

is a sectional view of a modified construction of a carrier-head and a portion of the travelerholding plate, to which reference will hereinafter be made. Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section, showing a modiiied construction of my machine with the spool-frame placed between the traveler-holding plates and inserted so that the cord or web will be formed below instead of above the working parts of the machine. Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 show in detail views of the combined traveler and spoolframe used in this modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the main bed or frame of the machine, to

which are fixed the two traveler holding plates B B, both supported from the frame by the posts Ct. These holding-plates are parallelly arranged and spaced some little distance apart.

They are formed each with internal gear-teeth Z), with radial slots or re cesses b intervening at regular intervals and with the slots to the respective plates arranged in vertical alinement.

O represents the respective traveler-carriers, each carrier in formation comprising double heads or pinions so separated that they will lie each in the same plane with its corresponding traveler-holding plate B or B and so disposed that their toothed edges 0 will mesh respectively with the internal toothed edges b thereof; and it is also to be noted that the respective heads or pinions of each traveler-carrier have slots or recesses 0 formed in their edges and intervening their gear-teeth at regular intervals, in which slots or recesses, together with the slots or recesses regularly intervening, the interior teeth of the traveler holding plates, as before referred to, the bodies d of the travelers D are adapted to be contained, either to be carried through their various looped evolutions or be intermittently held, the method of' carriage and retention beingin principle substantially like that referred to in my aforesaid patent;

but it is especially to be noted in this conor pinions of the respective carriers meshing with the internal gear-teeth of the fixed traveler-holding plates B and B. The table E rests for a center upon the frame A and in combination with its internal sleeve 8 revolves about the spindle a, rising from said frame. Upon this table E is formed the grooved track or raceway F, comprising the looped portions f and the curvilinear portions f, running between the loops, (see Fig. 3,) which track or raceway is adapted to rereceive and guide the feet '01 of the travelers D, the foot of each traveler being sufficiently extended to fit into the said groove or raceway. The main table E also carries with it the main portions of an upper revolving table or track-forming platform E,in which there is formed a track or raceway F for supporting the heads d of the travelers and which track or raceway in formation is like and relatively coincident in vertical alinement with the grooved track or racewayF, formed on the table E. This upper revolving track-forming table E is made in section, being cut, as it were, by the track or raceway F by reason of the fact that the heads of the travelers must be extended to pass through said raceway in order that they may bear the frames for carrying the spools, cops, or such like, upon which are wound the strands for forming the cord or web to be made and which in practice are ordinarily borne by the heads of said travelers. The table forming the track or raceway F accordingly comprises the plate 6 so shaped that when in place its outer edge will form the inner wall f of that portion of the track or raceway F which inter venes between the looped portions thereof or that portion thereof which corresponds with the portion f of the track or raceway F, also the outer walls f of the looped portion thereof or that portion corresponding with the looped portion fof the track or raceway F, and the plate is so secured that the inner and outer walls of the respective tracks or raceways will be in vertical alinement, such retention being obtained by bolting the plate e to the table E by the cross-bolts or studs a The inner walls f of the looped portions of the track or raceway F are formed by the plate-sections c and these preferably made integral With or by heading, as it were, the studs or shafts e, which are secured to the main table E and primarily form the axial bearing for the carriers 0. These looped interior Wallsf of course coincide in vertical alinement with the inner walls of the looped portionsfof the track or raceway E. The

outer wallf to the portion of the track or raceway F between the loops is formed by an outside annular plate 6, this wall, of course, coinciding with the outer wall to the track or raceway F between its loops. The plate 6 is held in place or supported by an annular flange 6 which projects from its lower side and runs in an annular guide 17 formed on the upper side of the fixed traveler-holding plate B. The inner plate-sections e e of the track-forming platform E being thus secured to the table E revolve with it; but the outside annular plate-section 6 not having such connection, is made to revolve simultaneously with the inside sections 6 c and so in unison with the main table E, by means of gearteeth 6, out along its outside periphery,which teeth are vertically coincident in alinement with the gear-teeth 6', formed on the outside periphery of the main table Efwhereby both plate and table are revolved by the common shaft G through the intervening pinions g g,

mounted thereon, 'and it is to be noted that this is a very practical method of revolving the main table with the application of the driving force applied thereto where it will act to the best advantage. The shaft G may be driven in any suitable manner, as by the bevel-gears g 9 from the main shaft G. This, however, is but an arbitrary detail of construction.

It is obvious that a single traveler-holding plate of thicker construction and asingle carrier-head of similar thickness may be used in place of the double traveler-holding platesB and B and double-headed carrier, as before described. To make this clear, I have shown in Fig. 7 a section of these parts so modified, in which 13 represents the traveler-holding plate thickened at that part where one of the recesses b occurs, like as before referred to, while represents a portion of one of the carrier-heads equally thickened at the part where one of its recesses 0 occurs. With such a construction bearing-support is extended to the traveler throughout the entire length of its body 61 and instead of at its ends, as in the construction previously referred to.

With such a method of retention, carriage, and guidance the travelers are supported and guided to run with increased smoothness and freedom of motion, and, among other things, it is to be noted especially that the lengthened bodies of the travelers permit of the carriers having a relatively wide bearing against them, and this, together with the factthat this bearing of the carriers against the travelers is evenly ad ministered with relative respect to the ends thereof, tends, of course,

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to resist any tendency on the part of the travsition. Then the head and feet of the travelers, being supported beyond the bearing of the carriers, tend to give an increased vertical rigidity to the travelers, to say nothing of the fact that such support guides and directs them to run more equally and true in their respective tracks or raceways, all of which tends to the economic advantage that the travelers may be run with increased rapidity without undue wear and vibration and may carry heavier bodies'of strand material and may be also operated with increased stress upon the strands as they are being formed into the cord or web.

It is clear that with a construction such as I have described the traveler-holding plates B B and likewise the double heads of the carriers 0 may be so far separated from each other as to permit the spool-frames for carrying the strands, which ordinarily are carried on the outside by the heads of the travelers, to replace a portion of the bodies thereof extending on the inside between the two ends of the carriers. It is also clear that, if desired, the machine may be built in an inverted form, in which the parts are below and dependent from the main frame A. In Fig. 8 I have shown a construction of the machine embodying these modifications, and by reason of the fact of the peculiar adaptability with which one feature can be used with the other I show them both combined in the same machine. Referring, therefore, to Fig. 8, A represents the frame corresponding with the frame of my machine, as before referred to, but with the spindle ct dependent instead of rising therefrom. The main table E is shown with its sleeve e fitting to revolve about the spindle a, being held in position against endwise movement by the nut a at the end of said spindle. Upon the main table E is formed a track or raceway F, and from the same depend the studs or shafts which support the plates 6 6 respectively, of the track-forming platform E and which help form the track or raceway F thereof, like as before described. The outside annular plate-section e of this platform, however, instead of being supported by the traveler-holding plate B, as in the former construction, is supported by an auxiliary plate 13 the said sectione having an annular projecting flange 6 which runs in a groove b formed on the top side of said auxiliary plate. This auxiliary plate is held in place by the same studs or posts a which hold the fixed travelerplates B and B. These holding-plates B and 13 present no peculiarities of construction. They are shown spaced far apart, as are also the double heads of the carriers 0, which mesh with them. Between the double heads of the carriers thus separated and between the portions thereof which are operated upon by the carrier-heads the bodies of the travelers are dividedor expanded into spoolframes d d, which may carry any convenient form of spool, bobbin, or cop of strand material. It is also to be noted that the lower portion of the bodies and the feet of the travelers are bored to permit the passage of the strand. The practicability of this method of constructing the cordage-machine needs no special comment.

Briefly referring to the operation of the ma chine: Assuming that the spools, cops, or tubes are in their frames mounted upon the travelers or contained within the same, as just described, then when power is applied to revolvethe vertical shaft G its turning, through a pinion fixed thereto, gives motion to the main revolving table E and also, through the intermediary connections, to the main interior sections 6 e of the supplemental. revolving table'E. The outside annular plate-section a of this table, however, revolves simul taneously with its interior sections and so with the main table E by means of a second pinion on the vertical revolving shaft G. The tables E E as they revolve carry round with them the traveler-carriers (3, which in turn are revolved by their toothed edges meshing with the internal toothed edges of the fixed traveler-holding plates B B. The traveler carriers C, as their name implies, carry with them the travelers D. The motion of the travelers is governed by their heads and feet being mounted to slide in the tracks or raceways formed in the revolving tables or platforms E E and whereby the travelers are directed so that at one time they will be held fixed in the recesses formed in the fixed traveler-holding plates B B and at another time be carried by said carriers tonew positions in said plates, the effect being that the strands forming the cord or web, which are borne by the cops or spools mounted upon or carried by said travelers, are united with an interlocking twist.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a frame, a traveler-holding plate fixed thereto, travelers, carriers therefor, and rotatable tables having tracks or raceways for guiding and supporting the travelers at more than one point.

2. In a cordage-rnachine of the character specified, a frame, one or more traveler-holding plates fixed thereto, travelers, carriers therefor borne by and between rotatable tables having tracks or raceways for supporting the ends of the travelers, and said rot-atable tables.

3. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, a traveler-holding plate therefor, carriers for said travelers, rotatable tables having tracks or raceways for guiding and supporting the travelers, a portion of one of which tables is independently rotatable.

4. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, a traveler-holding plate therefor, carriers for the travelers, rotatable tables having tracks or raceways for guiding and supporting the travelers, one of which tables has a section forming the outer wall of its raceway independently rotatable, and ,means for rotating the same.

5. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, a traveler-holding plate therefor, car'- riers for said travelers, a rotatable table having a track or raceway for guiding and supporting the travelers, a plate secured to said table and lying in a parallel plane thereto and rotatable therewith, which plate forms one wall of an auxiliary track or raceway for supporting or guiding said travelers at a point coincident therewith, and an independent plate-section forming the other wall of said auxiliary track or raceway, means for supporting said independent section, and means whereby said table and track-forming sections parallel thereto may be made to rotate in unison.

6. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, a traveler-holding plate therefor, carriers for said travelers, a main table having formed upon it a track or raceway for guiding and supporting the travelers, a table having a track or raceway for guiding and supporting the travelers in a parallel plane to said main table, a portion of which table is borne by the main table aforesaid and a portion of which is independently supported, and means whereby said tables may be made to rotate in unison.

7. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, a traveler-holding plate therefor, carriers for said travelers, a main table bearing the same and having formed upon it a track or raceway for guiding and supporting the travelers at one point and a table forming a track or raceway for guiding and supporting said travelers at another point, a portion of which table is borne by the main table and an outer annular portion of which is supported by the traveler-holding plate.

8. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a stationary frame, a traveler-holding plate fixed thereto, a series of travelers, carriers therefor pivoted to a main rotatable table E to mesh with the traveler-holding plate or plates aforesaid, said main rotatable table with a track or raceway formed upon it for guiding and supporting one end of the travelers aforesaid, and an auX- iliary table E having a track or raceway'extending through it for supporting the other ends of the travelers, said table comprising sections e 6 secured to said main table to revolve therewith, also an outside annular plate-section 8 independently rotatable, and means whereby said tables and sections thereof may be revolved in unison.

9. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers, one or more traveler-holding plates therefor, double-headed carriers 0 each having bearing against said travelers, and tables with tracks or raceways for guiding and supporting the ends of the travelers above and below said carriers. 1

10. In a cordage-machine of the character specified, the combination of a series of travelers forming spool-frames within the bodies thereof, carriers for engaging said travelers beyond the frame forming portions thereof, a traveler-holding plate or plates with which said carriers are adapted to engage and tables having formed thereon grooved tracks or raceways for guiding and supporting the ends of the travelers.

JAMES P. TOLMAN.

In presence of- J M. DOLAN, J. E. R. Burns. 

